SQA Learning Foundation

What SQA Learning Foundation does

SQA Learning Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and headquartered at 820 East High Street, Suite A in Charlottesville, Virginia. It operates as the educational funding and publishing arm of the Society of Quality Assurance (SQA), an association of more than 2,600 Quality Assurance professionals working across pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical, medical-device, environmental, government, and academic settings. The foundation's stated mission is to promote quality in life science and environmental research through education, with a vision of safe and effective biologics, chemicals, drugs, and medical devices.

The foundation's core product is the Online Learning Center, an interactive, self-paced e-learning platform delivering on-demand courses in Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), pharmacovigilance auditing, 21 CFR Part 11 electronic records, SOP writing, negotiation, and auditor soft skills. Each course awards Registered Quality Assurance Professional (RQAP) re-registration units used by QA practitioners for credential maintenance in GCP, GLP, and GMP fields. Courses carry tiered pricing (member, non-member, university/government, and student/outreach discounts), provide 1-year access, integrate with enterprise learning management systems, and issue certificates of completion. A secondary product is the Data Integrity: The Science, The Regulations, The Use handbook, a regulated-science reference authored by Richard Siconolfi and distributed via Barnes & Noble (BN.com and NOOK app), with 70% of sales revenue flowing back to the foundation.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: (1) one-time course license fees paid individually or via bulk 5+ seat enterprise packages; (2) recurring SQA membership dues (active ~$195/year, plus student, outreach at $15 application fee, and emeritus tiers); (3) recurring RQAP exam and re-registration fees ($50-$200 depending on member status); (4) one-time purchases of webinar recordings and the Annual Meeting Online Library; (5) tiered Corporate Supporter sponsorships (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) from life-sciences organizations; and (6) book royalties via Barnes & Noble. Distribution occurs through the foundation's direct storefront, SQA member communications, OpenSesame's enterprise course marketplace, and the annual SQA meeting/Quality College event series (42nd edition set for April 2026 in National Harbor, MD).

Name

SQA Learning Foundation

Legal name

SQA Learning Foundation

Website

https://sqa-lf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SQA Learning Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and delivers self-paced online training courses, the Data Integrity handbook, and continuing education for Quality Assurance professionals in regulated life sciences via its tie-up with the Society of Quality Assurance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Education and Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGAOAE

Quality Assurance, GxP Compliance & Auditing FSP

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Scientific Staffing & Functional Service Providers (FSP)

SECONDARYHLAGACAF

Investigator & Site Training / GCP Support

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Clinical Trial Services & Site Management (SMO)

SECONDARYHLAGAKAK

Laboratory Quality & GLP/GCLP Compliance

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Regulatory Affairs, Quality & Compliance Services (GxP)

Keywords

• Quality assurance training
• Compliance training courses
• Professional education services
• Continuing education programs
• Regulatory training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Online Course Sales: Individual course sales with tiered pricing (member, non-member, student, government/university, bulk enterprise). Single-user licenses with 1-year access.
2. Data Integrity Book Sales: Sale of Data Integrity: The Science, The Regulations, The Use handbook via Barnes & Noble (web, NOOK app). 70% of sales benefit the SQA Learning Foundation.
3. SQA Membership Dues: Active membership (~$195/year), Student membership, Outreach membership ($15 application fee for low/middle-income country residents), Emeritus membership.
4. RQAP Credential Fees: RQAP-GCP, RQAP-GLP, RQAP-GMP exam fees and re-registration fees ($125 members, $200 non-members, $50 outreach members).
5. Webinar and Annual Meeting Content: Webinar recordings and Annual Meeting Online Library purchases. Members receive free or discounted access.
6. Corporate Supporters and Sponsorship: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze tier corporate supporter program with varying sponsorship levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SQA Learning Foundation provides on-demand online training courses and a published eBook for Quality Assurance professionals working in regulated life sciences (GLP/GCP/GMP). Courses cover Good Laboratory Practice, Good Clinical Practice, pharmacovigilance auditing, 21 CFR Part 11, GLP SOP writing, and auditing soft skills, with RQAP re-registration unit credit for credential maintenance. Enterprise customers can access the same content via the foundation's own platform or through LMS integration.

Product overview

The SQA Learning Foundation offers educational products centered around its Online Learning Center, a platform providing interactive self-paced training courses for Quality Assurance professionals. The portfolio includes courses in GLP (Good Laboratory Practice), GCP (Good Clinical Practice), pharmacovigilance, regulatory compliance, and soft skills. Additionally, the foundation publishes the Data Integrity: The Science, The Regulations, The Use eBook, a practical handbook for QA professionals. Courses are available at various price tiers with discounts for SQA members, students, and outreach members, and offer RQAP re-registration credits. The Good Clinical Practice course is currently under review for a 2026 relaunch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Learning Center Platform Interactive self-paced online learning platform providing on-demand training courses for QA professionals in GLP, GCP, pharmacovigilance, and regulatory compliance. Courses offer RQAP re-registration units and 1-year access from purchase, with bulk pricing for organizations and enterprise LMS delivery available.
• Negotiation Skills Course Interactive 4-module on-demand training course designed to help QA professionals improve negotiation skills and achieve better negotiation outcomes. Awards 3.5 RQAP re-registration units.
• Pharmacovigilance Auditing Course Provides a solid understanding of PV auditing requirements to non-PV professionals or fresh entrants, covering history, fundamental concepts, regulatory frameworks in U.S. and EU, and proper procedure for planning and conducting PV audits. Awards 3.0 RQAP re-registration units.
• The Good Auditor with Greg Furrow Course Interactive training course for QA auditors of all levels to improve auditing soft skills, covering important habits, rules, faulty thinking to avoid, and general skills for improving the auditing experience. Awards 1.0 RQAP re-registration unit.
• GLP Study Director and Principal Investigator Training 7-module on-demand course providing a thorough overview of regulatory requirements for study oversight and the roles and responsibilities of GLP Study Directors and Principal Investigators. Designed for new or training individuals responsible for GLP study control and direction. Awards 6.0 RQAP re-registration units.
• Basic Training: Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Comprehensive 11-module course designed for anyone needing to learn about GLP regulations, including QA Personnel, Study Directors, Principal Investigators, and facility personnel. Covers history of FDA GLPs and regulations with comparisons to EPA GLPs. Awards 13.75 RQAP re-registration units.
• Introduction to 21 CFR Part 11: Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures Introductory 1-module course for QA professionals explaining 21 CFR Part 11 including scope, parts, definitions of key terms, and real-life examples of how to apply Part 11 principles. Awards 1.25 RQAP re-registration units.
• Introduction to Writing Effective Compliant GLP SOPs Course for GLP auditors from novice to experienced, designed to familiarize trainees with GLP requirements for SOPs, including review of common 483s, SOP lifecycle and distribution, and technical writing tips. Awards 1.0 RQAP re-registration unit.
• Good Clinical Practice: Understanding the Basics Basic 14-module course providing an overview of the fundamentals of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), covering US FDA regulations, ICH and ISO guidelines. Meets the Minimum Criteria for ICH GCP Investigator Site Personnel Training identified by TransCelerate BioPharma Inc. Currently under review for 2026 relaunch.
• Data Integrity: The Science, The Regulations, The Use (eBook) Practical handbook written by Quality Assurance professionals for QA professionals, covering data integrity requirements for GCP, GLP, GMP, GVP, and other areas in regulated science. Available on BN.com and via the NOOK app on mobile and web; 70% of sales benefit the SQA Learning Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• RQAP re-registration units awarded upon course completion
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Corporate Supporters (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze Tiers)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Platinum supporters include Adamas Consulting, CIMCON, Charles River Laboratories, CompAudit Partners, FDAQRC, Inotiv, InSeption Group, ObelysQ, Pharmatek Solutions, QACV Consulting, RiverArk Ltd, ZemQMS, and others. Gold supporters include Beijing XiaoTongMingDa Technology, Dot Compliance, MasterControl, ProPharma, Quality Assurance Consultancy.
• Barnes & NoblecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary retail distribution partner for 'Data Integrity: The Science, The Regulations, The Use' book. Available on BN.com in web browser and via NOOK app for mobile devices.
• OpenSesameminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCourse catalog available through OpenSesame marketplace for enterprise customers seeking LMS integration.
• Society of Quality Assurance (SQA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSQA Learning Foundation is a 501(c)(3) initiative that funds educational offerings in conjunction with SQA, including online training courses and K-12 educational resources regarding quality, integrity, and safety in science.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• OpenSesame: Course marketplace and distribution channel through which SQA Learning Foundation courses reach enterprise buyers. Functions as both a channel partner and an adjacent ecosystem player in the e-learning aggregation space.

Broad incumbents

• Veeva Systems: Enterprise platform provider whose Veeva Vault Training delivers regulated compliance training within broader clinical/quality cloud suites. Represents the integrated-enterprise competitor that could compress standalone course demand.
• MasterControl: Quality and compliance management software vendor with embedded training modules for GxP environments. Gold-tier corporate supporter and directly comparable in serving QA training needs via a broader platform.
• NSF International (now NSF Health Sciences): Provides training and certification for regulated life sciences, including GMP/GLP/GCP courses. Comparable in offering instructor-led and on-demand training to QA professionals in pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Direct peers

• ProPharma: Life sciences consulting and training provider offering QA/GxP compliance education, including Gold-tier corporate supporter of SQA Learning Foundation. Directly comparable in delivering regulated-industry training to QA professionals.
• Drug Information Association (DIA): Global professional association offering training, conferences, and continuing education for regulatory, clinical, and QA professionals in life sciences. Highly comparable non-profit/professional-society model with educational content and credentialing.
• Advarra: Clinical research services provider offering IRB, IBC, and GCP-focused training for research sites and sponsors. Comparable in delivering continuing education targeted at clinical research and QA professionals.
• BioTech Primer: Life sciences training provider offering courses on drug development, GMP, regulatory affairs, and biotechnology fundamentals. Directly comparable in delivering continuing education for life sciences professionals.
• Barnett International (ICON): Provides clinical research and GCP training programs for CRAs, PIs, and QA staff. Directly comparable in serving continuing-education needs for clinical research and QA professionals.
• Society of Quality Assurance (SQA): Direct partner/sister organization that co-operates the Online Learning Center with the foundation. SQA provides the 2,600+ member base, marketing channels, and annual meeting infrastructure that anchor SQA Learning Foundation's GTM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=RP7X9IBmEzM?rel=0
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/4488208
• Xx.com/SQALearn
• Facebookfacebook.com/SQALearningFoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SQA Learning Foundation